Good
lighting is everything. There’s no question
about it. Just ask any movie star or model
and they will tell you the same. Of
course, they'll also probably tell you which designer they are wearing in the next
sentence, but that doesn't mean they are wrong.
What we see and how we see it has everything to do with the way
something is lit.
Think,
for example, about an animal’s eyes in the middle of the day. They generally appear dark and large (except
for goats, who may just have the creepiest eyes on earth). So, when your cat wakes from his afternoon
snooze for a bit of a wash, those eyes look soft and warm. Compare that to the way their eyes look in
the dark, especially if you shine a torch into the distance. Those eyes look bright and, usually, frightening.
No
matter how you dice it, lighting is everything.
And, here are just a few examples of what happens when the light is just
right.
Stars Are Born – Oh yes,
here we do mean those starlets in classic Ralph Lauren dresses and frightfully expensive
shoes. Whether it is a photography shoot
or a full length movie, there is always someone in charge of lighting. There’s a compelling reason for this. When the light hits someone’s face in a
particular way, tiny imperfections are washed away and they look more beautiful
– and that is exactly how you sell clothes, perfumes and movies. On the other hand, flat lighting tends to
wash people out and make them look haggard, which is great when you want to illustrate
the depravity of a story line. (And, by the way, photos means light in Greek.)
The Stars Come Out – This time
we’re talking about those little balls of fire in the night sky. People living in rural areas and sea captains
can see stars that people in London would never imagine. There are simply so many stars and the effects
of light pollution on the night sky simply obscure the wonders to be seen. (Well that, and the clouds.) There are over 10,000 stars to be seen in the
sky given the right conditions, but most places on earth only allow sight of about
1000 stars. And, if you do live in a big
city, you will be lucky to see a hundred or so.
Catching Some Zzzz – Some
people can catch a nap no matter what time of day it is, others simply can’t sleep
unless the room is entirely dark. But,
unless they are exhausted, most people want some sort of dimmed illumination when
they head off to sleep. And for good
reason; bright lights trigger an alert feeling in the body and mind, and the opposite
is true in darkened areas. Just think of
how difficult it is to wake on a winter’s morning. It doesn’t seem to matter how warm your room
is, but just how much light there is coming through the windows, right?
Getting Your Groove On
–
Most people find it much easier to let go a bit when the lights are dimmed. It is not that you won’t find drunken spectators
at a rugby match on a Saturday afternoon; it is just that lighting goes a long
way towards lowering people’s inhibitions.
So, people are more likely to cut it up on the dance floor in a darkened
night club than they are in the middle of the day when they know people can see
their every move. Add in a few strobe light
effects and (usually) a rather unhealthy amount of alcohol and you can truly party
the night away.
Gets Things Growing – This is basic
science stuff. Sunlight is one of the basic
needs for most plants. Photosynthesis (with
photo, once again, meaning light), is the process by which plants convert light
energy into the chemical energy in order to do all the things that plants need
to do. This is beneficial for people because
we need the oxygen plants produce. But
the sunlight is terrifically good for people too – take that vitamin D, for example;
people can synthesis this themselves as long as they get enough sunlight. Otherwise they will simply need to take more supplements,
and those never seem cheap, do they?
You’re How Old? – Yes, we
need the sun to keep us healthy, but the amount of sun that we get can have decidedly
different effects on our appearance. If
you get just enough, you will probably avoid those deep set facial lines and wrinkles
for an unusually long time. However, if
you spend a lot of time in the sun, you are likely to start looking like an
old, weathered cowboy in no time at all.
And, as the media is quick to point out, too many cases of skin cancer have
been caused by the harsh effects of the sun – and inadequate protection against
it.
Not Stepping In It – Twilight
is a lovely time for a stroll with your favourite four legged friend. After all, it is light enough to see where you
are going (and to avoid those scary glowing eyes that animals have in the dark),
and it’s not too bright to prevent picking up the paper when you return home. And frighteningly bright eyes are not the only
thing that happens when the world becomes dark and you’re out with your dog;
there’s always a chance that you will step in something you certainly don’t
want on your shoes. And you know just
what that is.
It’s All In The
Details –
Just like movie stars need the right light to look gorgeous, your eyes need proper
lighting to catch the small details in life – or on the television. With proper lighting, you are more likely to recognise
and respond to stimuli in your environment.
Conversely, you will miss the finer points if the area is dark; just think
of driving at night if you need an example.
Most details don’t mean the difference between life and death, except of
course if you miss the subtleties of your favourite series, especially if
everyone else seemed to catch the joke.
Love, Love, Love – Lighting
has a massive effect on our moods, and the atmosphere of an evening. A lovingly crafted meal served at the dining room
table showered by an overhead light will never have the same effect as the same
meal lit by candles. You know it, and
your date knows it too. That is why you
will always choose a darkened restaurant when you are trying to romance someone;
the converse is just too casual. It’s one
more case of low lighting impacting on inhibitions – and, in this case, it
usually works in your favour – as long as you order the right wine.
Getting It Done – Really,
lighting has such a remarkable impact on productivity. If it’s too dark, you won’t feel like doing
much (including getting out of bed in the morning). And if it’s too bright, then you simply can’t
get anything done. It could be the glare
on your computer, or simply that you wish you could be enjoying the
sunshine. If it’s the latter, you can
only hope that the weekend is as lovely.
But, there is something you can do about the glare on your screen; get
your office fitted with anti-glare window film.
Not only will it keep the light just right, but it can also help you out
with a bit of solar heating when you need it most.
If you have any changes you want with light such as solar film check out our website.
